Vibratory apparatus

ABSTRACT

A vibratory apparatus comprising a vibratory frame resiliently mounted on a base. An out-of-balance weight assembly is mounted on the frame, the assembly being adjustable about a horizontal axis passing through the frame. Power drive means for the out-ofbalance weight assembly is mounted on a frame which is mounted on the base and adjustable about substantially the same axis. A resilient coupling may connect the power drive means to the outof-balance weight assembly and an inflatable ring may be arranged to support resiliently the vibratory frame on the base.

United States Patent 1 Ciroules [451 Apr. 17, 1973 VIBRATORY APPARATUS {75] Inventor: Marcel l-lenry Choules, Woking, En-

gland [73] Assignee: Russell Finex Limited, London, England {22] Filed: July 12, 1971 [21] Appl.No.: 161,550

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Nov. 4, 1970 Great Britain ..52,523/7() {52] US. Cl ..74/87, 209/3665 [51] Int. Cl. ..B06b 1/16 {58] Field of Search ..74/87, 61; 209/3665, 367

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,206,029 9/1965 Hurst ..209/366.5

6/1968 Westbrook"; ..209/367X 5/1969 Hurst .....209/366.5X

Primary Examiner-Milton Kaufman Attorney-Raymond J. Mawhinney et a].

[ 5 7] ABSTRACT A vibratory apparatus comprising a vibratory frame resiliently mounted on a base. An out-of-balance weight assembly is mounted on the frame, the assembly being adjustable about a horizontal axis passing through the frame. Power drive means for the out-of-balance weight assembly is mounted on a frame which is mounted on the base and adjustable about substantially the same axis. A resilient coupling may connect the power drive means to the out-of-balance.

weight assembly and an inflatable ring may be arranged to support resiliently the vibratory frame on the base.

9 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDPR 3.727. 470

SHEET 2 or 4 PATENIEB APR] 7 I975 SHEET u 0F 4 VIBRATORY APPARATUS The invention relates to vibratory apparatus of the kind comprising a stationary base, a vibratory frame mounted on the base by spring means located between the base and the vibratory frame, an out-of-balance weight assembly attached to the vibratory frame, and power drive means drivably connected to the out-ofbalance weight assembly. Such a vibratory apparatus is hereinafter referred to as of the kind described. Vibratory apparatus of the kind described may be used, for example, for screens, vibratory mills, polishers, shaking tablets and the like. I

The invention provides a vibratory apparatus of the kind described in which there is mounting means to mount the out-of-balance weight assembly centrally beneath the vibratory frame, means to adjust the mounting means about a substantially horizontal axis within the frame, a swinging frame pivotally attached to the base for movement about an axis substantially coaxial with said first-mentioned axis, means to adjust the swinging frame about the axis, and the power drive means being mounted on the swinging frame.

There may be a resilient flexible coupling connecting together the power drive means and the out-of-balance weight assembly.

The power drive means may include means to vary the speed of rotation of the out-of-balance weight assembly.

The out-of-balance weight assembly may comprise a housing for a shaft attached to said mounting, the shaft carrying two spaced apart out-of-balance weights.

The spring means may comprise a resilient inflatable ring located between two annular seatings, one seating on the frame and the other on the base.

Alternatively, the spring means may comprise a plurality of discrete spring members (e.g. helical springs, rubber mountings, air cushions or the like) which may be arranged around the periphery of the frame.

The invention also provides a screen of the kind described in which the vibratory frame is generally annular and is provided with two diametrically opposed brackets, the out-of-balance weight assembly being mounted on the brackets for pivotal movement about a substantially horizontal axis within the frame, clamping means to clamp the out-of-balance weight assembly in a desired position; the base being provided with a swinging frame comprising two side members pivotally mounted on the base for movement about an axis substantially co-axial with said horizontal axis and a crossmember connecting together said two side members, further clamping means to clamp the swinging frame in a position corresponding to the clamped position of the out-of-balance weight assembly, and the power drive means being mounted on --the swinging frame and drivably connected to the out-of-balance weight assembly by means ofa flexible resilient coupling.

The following is a description of two specific embodiments of vibratory screen constructed in accordance with the invention'and given by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 is a part sectional view through a first embodiment of screen;

FIG. 2 is a scrap sectional view through a second embodiment of screen;

FIG. 3 is a detail view of the spring means for the embodiment of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a scrap side view in the direction of arrow 4 on FIG. 2, and

FIG. 5 is a detail view of an alternative for of spring means.

Referring to FIG. 1, the screen has a base 10, which may be substantially rectangular or circular in section, and has an;annular seating 11 attached to the sidemembers 12 of the base adjacent their upper ends. The annular seating 1 1 has an upwardly facing semi-circular depression 13 formed therein, which carries an inflated resilient ring 14.

A vibratory frame 15 is provided with an annular seating 16 having a downwardly facing semi-circular depression 17 formed therein, the frame 15 being supported by the ring 14 which is located within the depression 17. The frame 15 is provided with an annular mounting 18 for carrying a screen, which is diagrammatically shown at 19, the screen being held in position by a plurality of clips 20, (only one of which is shown in the figure). The clips 20 comprise two coaxial rods joined by an internally threaded sleeve 21, such that rotation of the sleeve increases or decreases the separation of the rods. The lower rod is pivotally attached to the annular mounting l8 and the upper rod is provided with an inwardly directed portion engageable with the screen.

Two diametrically opposed radially inwardly extending brackets are provided on the upper annular seating 16, each bracket 25 having a vertically disposed face 26. Angle brackets 27 are attached to the underside of each bracket 25 to provide a further vertically disposed face 28 substantially continuous with the face 26.

A shaft housing 29 is attached to two brackets, each provided with an opposed vertically disposed face 30, and each of which is attachable to one of the pairs of faces 26, 28, by means of bolts 31. A stub-axle 32, secured in the housing 29 projects outwardly from the face 30, and is located in a horizontally disposed bore provided in the bracket 25 and angle bracket 27. The faces 26 and 30 are provided with a plurality of holes arranged on a common pitch circle about the axis of the stub-axle 32, so that the housing 29 may be adjusted about a horizontal axis and located in any one of a number of positions about that axis.

The housing 29 has a shaft 33 rotatably mounted therein on bearings 34, which shaft 33 carries two outof-balance weights 35, 36. The upper weight 35 is at tached to the free end 37 of the shaft by means of nut 38, and the lower weight 36 is clamped to the shaft adjacent the housing 29 by means of clamp 39.

The out-of-balance weights have removable portions 40 attached to the greater part of the weight by means of bolts 41, whereby the total mass of the out-ofbalance weight may be varied.

The base 10 has a swinging frame pivotally mounted thereto by means of bolts 46 making threaded engagement with the annular seating 11. The swinging frame 45 comprises two side members 47 and a crossmember 48. A series of holes (not shown) are drilled on a pitch circle centered on the holes which receive the bolts 46 such that bolts 49 may clamp the swinging frame to the base 10 at any one of a number of positions. The bolts 46 are arranged such that the swinging frame pivots about substantially the same axis as the axis about which the shaft housing 29 of the out-ofbalance weight assembly pivots, when the vibratory frame 15 is in a position of static equilibrium.

The lower free end of the shaft 33 carries one half of a flexible rubber coupling 42, the other half of the coupling being rotatably mounted on an upstanding shaft 59 welded to the cross member 48. The other half of the coupling is connected to a pulley 50.

An electric motor 51 is attached to the cross member 48, the shaft of which is provided with a pulley 52 which is drivingly connected to the pulley 50 by mean of a belt 53.

It will be appreciated that the pulleys 50, 52 may be replaced by pulleys of other diameters to those shown so that the rate of rotation of the shaft 68 withrespect to the motor may be varied. In addition, the motor may easily be changed for one suited to a different supply voltage or frequency, or of a different power, or a variable speed motor may be fitted.

In order to use the screen, the shaft housing 29 may be adjusted to a desired angle to the plane of the screen, and clamped in that position by bolts 31. Simultaneously, the swinging frame 45 is adjusted about bolts 46 so that the shafts 33 and 59 are substantially co-axi-.

al, and the swinging frame 45 clamped in that position by means of bolts 49. Means may be provided to co!- axially align the shafts 33 and 59, and may comprise, for example, holes drilled axially through the two shafts such that an aligning mandrel may be inserted therein whereby the two shafts are held co-axial whilst the bolts 49 are tightened.

The motor rotates the shaft 33 by means of the belt 53 and flexible coupling 42 so that the out-of-balance weights cause the vibratory frame 15 to vibrate. It will be appreciated that the relative vibratory motion between the vibratory frame 15 and the base will be taken up by the flexible coupling 42.

In a modification to the above described screen, (not shown), the pulleys 50 and 52, and belt 53 are replaced by a variable speed drive unit of known types, such that the ratio between the motor shaft and the shaft 33 may be varied. In this modification a fixed speed motor may be employed.

In a further modification to the above described screen (not shown), the motor is mounted on the swinging frame directly beneath the shaft 33, and the motor shaft itself carries the lower half of the flexible coupling 42. In this case, a variable speed motor may be employed in order to obtain different rotation speeds of the out-of-balance weight assembly.

It will be appreciated that the spring rate of the suspension of the vibratory frame may be varied by altering the pressure of fluid in the inflatable ring 14. However, alternative forms of suspension for the vibratory frame may be used, for example, helically wound springs, or a plurality of air cushions, spaced apart around suitable mounting. means provided on the base and on the vibratory frame.

Referring now to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, a second embodiment of screen is shown which differs from the above described screen in that rubber vibration mountings are employed to mount the vibratory frame on the base, in place of the inflated ring 14, and in that the arrangement for pivoting the swinging frame is modified. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 parts common to the embodiment of FIG. 1 are given like reference numerals.

Around the periphery of the side walls 12 of the base 10, a plurality of brackets 60 are provided, each of which brackets support a plate 61 arranged to face inwardly and upwardly. The vibratory frame 15 is provided with a skirt portion 62 arranged to surround the upper portion of the base 10, and with an inwardly directed flange 63, angled downwardly from the skirt portion. A plurality of rubber vibration mountings 64,

each comprising a. block 65 of rubber bonded on 0p-v posed faces to two rigid discs 66 having upstanding threaded studs 67, are arranged one between each plate 61 and the flange 63. Nuts 68, fasten the studs 66 to the plates 61 and the flange 63, respectively.

The swinging frame 69 comprises two side members 70 and a cross member 48, and is swingably supported on two plates 78 attached to the base 10. The plates 78 are each provided with an arcuate slot 71 and with two arcuate rows of holes 72 arranged one row each side of the slot 71. The swinging frame is mounted for movement on the plates 78 by means of two bolts 73 screwed into threaded holes in the side members 70 and the ends of which are located in the slots 71. .The swinging frame is clamped in a desired position by means of bolts 74 passing through the holes 72 and through holes provided in the side members 70. The arrangements of the slots 71 and the holes 72 is such that the swinging frame, when swung, effectively pivots about an axis coincident with the axis of the stub-axles 32, as shown in broken lines in FIG. 3. 1

.The arrangements of the out-of-balance'weight assembly, brackets 25, clamping bolts for the out-ofbalance weight assembly, flexible coupling 42, and the electric motor 51 and drive arrangement all are closely similar to those of the first described embodiment.

In FIG. 2, there is shown an aligning mandrel 75, which comprises a rod 77 attached to a handle 76 ."A hole is provided through shaft 59, and coupling 42, and a blind bore is provided in the lower end of shaft 33. To use the aligning mandrel, the out-of-balance weight assembly is swung to the desired position, and clamped by bolts 31. The mandrel is inserted through the holes in the shaft 59 and coupling 42, and the swinging frame is pivoted until the rod 71 will enter the bore in shaft 33. The swinging frame is then clamped by means of bolts 49. The mandrel is then withdrawn.

FIG. 5 shows an alternative form of spring arrangement to that shown in FIG. 3.'Referring to FIG. 5, a plurality of support lugs 80 are provided around the upper periphery of the side walls 12 of the base. Each support lug has a horizontally extending threaded hole 81 into which a stud 82 of a rubber vibration mounting 83 is threaded, each mounting 83 being similarly constructed to the mountings 64 used in the FIG. 3 embodiment. An annulus 84 of right-angle section is attached by its vertical face 85 of the mountings 83, the

The vibration mountings 83 and 87 have low spring rates in shear, and provide a spring arrangement allowing the vibratory frame to vibrate in a horizontal and in a vertical plane, so that by adjusting the out-of-balance weight assembly, a good scrolling action may be achieved.

The above described apparatus allows the component of vibration perpendicular to the plane of the seatings to be varied without significantly changing the gyratory component of vibration, by adjusting the angle of both the out-of-balance weight assembly and the swinging frame 45 about their respective horizontal axes.

I claim:

1. Vibratory apparatus comprising a stationary base, a vibratory frame, spring means located between the base and the vibratory frame, an out-of-balance weight assembly, mounting means to mount the out-of-balance weight assembly substantially centrally with respect to the vibratory frame, means to adjust the mounting means about a horizontal axis passing through the vibratory frame, a swinging frame pivotally attached to the base for swinging movement about an axis substantially co-axial with said first mentioned axis means to adjust the swinging frame about the axis, and power drive means mounted on the swinging frame and drivably connected to the out-of-balance weight assembly.

2. Vibratory apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which a resilient flexible coupling connects together the power drive means and the out-of-balance weight assembly.

3. Vibratory apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the power drive means includes means to vary the speed of rotation of the out-of-balance weight assembly.

4. Vibratory apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the out-of-balance weight assembly comprises a housing for a shaft attached to said mounting means, the shaft carrying two spaced apart out-of-balance weights.

5. Vibratory apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the spring means comprises a resilient inflatable ring located between two annular seatings one on the vibratory frame and the other being a part of the base.

6. Vibratory apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the spring means comprises a plurality of discrete spring members arranged around the periphery of the vibratory frame.

7. Vibratory apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the spring means comprises a plurality of discrete spring members arranged with their compression axes horizontal and located between the base and a secondary frame, and a further plurality of discrete spring members arranged with their compression axes vertical and located between the secondary frame and the vibratory frame.

8. Vibratory apparatus comprising a stationary base, a generally annular vibratory frame, spring means located between the base and the vibratory frame to mount the frame on the base, two brackets mounted on the vibratory frame in a diametrically opposed manner, an out-of-balance weight assembly, means to mount the out-of-balance weight assembly on the brackets for pivotal movement about a substantially horizontal axis within the frame, clamping means to clamp the out-ofbalance weight assemb y in a desired position, a swinging frame pivotally mounted on the base for movement about an axis substantially co-axial with said horizontal axis, further clamping means to clamp the swinging frame in a position corresponding to the clamped position of the out-of-balance weight assembly, said swinging frame comprising two side members and a cross member connecting together said two side members, power drive means mounted on the swinging frame, and a flexible resilient coupling drivably connecting the power drive means to the out-of-balance weight assembly.

9. Vibratory apparatus as claimed in claim 8 in which the spring means comprises an annular inflatable ring. 

1. Vibratory apparatus comprising a stationary base, a vibratory frame, spring means located between the base and the vibratory frame, an out-of-balance weight assembly, mounting means to mount the out-of-balance weight assembly substantially centrally with respect to the vibratory frame, means to adjust the mounting means about a horizontal axis passing through the vibratory frame, a swinging frame pivotally attached to the base for swinging movement about an axis substantially co-axial with said first mentioned axis means to adjust the swinging frame about the axis, and power drive means mounted on the swinging frame and drivably connected to the out-of-balance weight assembly.
 2. Vibratory apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which a resilient flexible coupling connects together the power drive means and the out-of-balance weight assembly.
 3. Vibratory apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the power drive means includes means to vary the speed of rotation of the out-of-balance weight assembly.
 4. Vibratory apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the out-of-balance weight assembly comprises a housing for a shaft attached to said mounting mEans, the shaft carrying two spaced apart out-of-balance weights.
 5. Vibratory apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the spring means comprises a resilient inflatable ring located between two annular seatings one on the vibratory frame and the other being a part of the base.
 6. Vibratory apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the spring means comprises a plurality of discrete spring members arranged around the periphery of the vibratory frame.
 7. Vibratory apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the spring means comprises a plurality of discrete spring members arranged with their compression axes horizontal and located between the base and a secondary frame, and a further plurality of discrete spring members arranged with their compression axes vertical and located between the secondary frame and the vibratory frame.
 8. Vibratory apparatus comprising a stationary base, a generally annular vibratory frame, spring means located between the base and the vibratory frame to mount the frame on the base, two brackets mounted on the vibratory frame in a diametrically opposed manner, an out-of-balance weight assembly, means to mount the out-of-balance weight assembly on the brackets for pivotal movement about a substantially horizontal axis within the frame, clamping means to clamp the out-of-balance weight assembly in a desired position, a swinging frame pivotally mounted on the base for movement about an axis substantially co-axial with said horizontal axis, further clamping means to clamp the swinging frame in a position corresponding to the clamped position of the out-of-balance weight assembly, said swinging frame comprising two side members and a cross member connecting together said two side members, power drive means mounted on the swinging frame, and a flexible resilient coupling drivably connecting the power drive means to the out-of-balance weight assembly.
 9. Vibratory apparatus as claimed in claim 8 in which the spring means comprises an annular inflatable ring. 